1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a buckle for belts and, more particularly, to a buckle provided with a detachable ball marker, thus allowing a wearer to easily mark the position of his ball on a putting green using the marker while he waits for another player to shoot toward the green prior to replacing his ball on the green to putt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A belt is typically worn around the waist to support trousers, pants or slacks. The two ends of such a belt are fastened together by a buckle. Such buckles also serve a decorative function. The construction and operational function of such buckles has been improved to allow wearers to more easily and quickly fasten or unfasten the two ends of a belt.
Therefore, a great number of buckles, designed for allowing wearers to quickly and easily fasten or unfasten the two ends of belts, have been proposed and used.
As the buckles for belts are diversified in their kinds, they have been designed for having collateral functions and decorations.
In another matter, ball markers are typically used for marking the position of a golf ball on a putting green while a golfer waits for another player to shoot toward the green prior to replacing his ball on the green to putt. That is, when a golfer shoots his ball onto a putting green and successfully places the ball on the green, he has to temporarily take off the ball from the green to prevent the ball from disturbing another player's shot onto the green. In such a case, the golfer marks the position of his ball on the green using a ball marker while he waits for another golfer's shot toward the green prior to replacing the ball on the green to putt. Such a marker allows a golfer to exactly replace a ball on the putting green. The use of such markers are prescribed in the golf rules.
In the prior art, small-sized and coin-shaped articles, made of plastic materials, are used as such ball markers. However, golfers may play golf without having such markers and this throws the golfers into confusion on putting greens and prevents the golfers from devoting themselves to playing golf. Furthermore, the golf rules say that a golfer, who does not use such a marker on a putting green, is to receive a one point penalty.